science
World is entering an era of 'water bankruptcy'
Countries have spent beyond their sustainable water budgets for so long that critical assets are depleted and the world faces huge economic, social and environmental costs Source link
Satellites could use magnetic fields to avoid collisions
Two or more satellites could communicate and manoeuvre around one another using magnetic fields, although getting the technique to work at scale in space might be tricky Source link
The immense interconnectivity of the brain: Best ideas of the century
How discovering that different parts of the brain work together as networks has transformed our understanding of everything from daydreaming and emotions to planning and memory Source link
The one innovation that supercharged AI: Best ideas of the century
The most powerful artificial intelligence tools all have one thing in common. Whether they are writing poetry or predicting protein structures, they rely on the “transformer” architecture Source link
How fear drastically shapes ecosystems: Best ideas of the century
Understanding the “landscape of fear” that predators create in their environments has helped us uncover just how drastically humans have upended the natural world Source link
Realising the importance of our microbiome: Best ideas of the century
Humans have been inadvertently using microbes to influence our health for thousands of years. But only recently has the microbiome rocketed to the forefront of healthcare Source link
Why a tool-using cow could change how we see farm animals
A pet cow has learned to scratch herself with a broom, showing creative problem-solving skills that make it harder to ignore the fact that these animals have minds, says Marta Halina Source link
Giving astronauts tardigrade toughness will be harder than we hoped
The protein that protects tardigrade DNA from radiation and mutagenic chemicals was thought to be harmless, but can in fact have major downsides Source link
First treaty to protect the high seas comes into force
A United Nations agreement for the “conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity” in the open oceans has now taken effect Source link
Cancelling plans may be more socially acceptable than you think
Volunteers consider it relatively unacceptable to cancel social plans – but they are more forgiving if it’s someone else cancelling the plans Source link